Super Cooper gets off to a stunning start in Series
Lauren Cooper set an impressive pace as she kicked off the RE & Co Sexarathon Series in fine style.
The Shrewsbury AC runner powered to victory in the the Lilleshall 5 mile women's race.
Cooper took the spoils in a time of 29 minutes six seconds – the second fastest ever and not far behind the course record of 28.46 held by Telford AC's Claire Martin.
Birchfield's Rae Nicholls took second place in 30.52, with Jade Charlton (Tipton) taking third in 30.57.
Lucy Calrow (Wolves & Bilston) was fourth in 30.59, while Lawley Running Club's Stacey Hawkins followed up two marathons in two weeks with a superb fifth-placed finish in 32.02.
Amy Hadley (Tipton, 32.26) completed the top six, just five seconds ahead of Telford AC's Amy Wakeley, who was also the first over-35 in a time of 32.31.
The over 50's winner Shrewsbury's Jan Cook won the over-50s category and finished eighth overall. That followed an impressive run in the recent London Marathon where she was seventh in the over-50s in a brilliant time of two hours 59 minutes.
Birmingham Running and Triathlon Club's Patrick Townsend won the men's race in 25.35.
Last year's overall Sexarathon men's winner Tom Bentley (25.47) was second as he led home a trio of Tipton team-mates, with Ian Williams (26.28) third and Robert Meredith (26.32) fourth.
Shrewsbury's Jamie Lambie (26.51) was fifth, with Telford AC's Jack Cole (26.56) finishing his first Sexarathon race in sixth.
The first race in this year's Series, organised by Telford Athletic Club, saw 380 runners of all abilities finish.
Leading age group winners:
Under-20 Emily Gapper and Charlie Costello; over-35 Amy Wakeley and Chris Rimmer; over-40 Natalie Boswell and Jon Hart; over-45 Nicola Sharp and Stephen Holdcroft; over -50 Jan Cook and Paul Bowes; over -55 Lisa Yeomans and Darren Hands; over-60 Penelope Barber and Hayden Jones; over-65 Barbara Cole and Martin Summers; over-70 Peter Hough and Anne Strowger; over-75 Chris Clarke.
Plus a photo of race organiser John Murray, centre with two age group winners left Peter Hough 1st over 70 and right Chris Clarke 1st over 75 both Shropshire Shufflers.
